The inquisitor began the council’s proceedings.
“Prince Ryggatigris, Count Vicken, Hollow Sovereign.
You three mentioned that there is something wrong with Prince Kenius and have called for this council meeting.
The 9 princes are here today to judge if what you say were true.
Prince Ryggatigris, please take the stand and present your case.” Prince Ryggatigris walked up to a podium and began speaking.
“Prince Kenius is a student of my school.
I, being headmaster, have received feedback that the Human Prince is …
not himself.
While I did not have the chance to introduce myself as I had just taken office, I finally manage to lay my eyes on the Prince during the events explained in the earlier trial.
While that issue is resolved with the shadowfication of the dark elf, Xiltharina, it brings about another set of questions.
With my werebeasts senses, I detect foul magic emanating from the young prince here, as well as the existence of seals.
I cross checked with my other princes here and they too come to the same conclusion, as they will explain later.
I beg the council to let the Human Prince, Prince John, to reveal what exactly is going on.” The inquisitor then continue: “Since you have named both the Undead Prince and Corrupted Prince, let each of them take the stand as well.” The vampire lord strutted out with his cane and took the stand.
“When I was presented this case, I did not believe Prince Ryggatigris.
Rather, I had no cause or benefit to do so.
However, upon laying eyes upon him today, I detect multiple magical seals placed on the person.
Particularly the limbs, the lumbar and the neck.
While we can investigate immediately to reveal, I would rather let Prince John explain himself first before we take any drastic action.” This testimony was next followed up by the Corrupted Prince.
The archfey floated up to the stand and immediately, its little corrupted beasts like shadow rabbits, squirrels, insects that inhabit its body spoke on its behalf.
“I…the hollow sovereign…
detected corruption…
coming out of that boy.
Prince John…is a master…of corruption magic.
Reasons unknown….
corrupted his own son….need to find out….why.
The signature…
of magic…
belongs to…
Prince John.” With that, it floated back to its council’s seat.
The inquisitor took the stand again and summoned Prince John.
“Prince John, you stand accused by 3 of the Dark Princes.
Do you wish to explain your stance?” Prince John stood up, wielding the sword of imminent darkness.
He went up to the stand and slam the sword down on the ground.
“You all think, I am doing something illegal, and to my own son!?
I kept it suppress as I did not want to alarm the council and this glorious dark faction.
Since you forced my hand, I shall reveal it.
Inquisitor, please take this diagnostic board and check the talent of my son.” The inquisitor did as he asked, holding out the diagnostic board.
The prince lift his hand and injected some mana.
The inquisitor took a look and stumbled back.
“Impossible, to a human, dire times indeed.
DIRE TIMES!” The Ooze prince formed a mouth using its body, and spoke.
“Inquisitor, you might want to reveal what you see.
What has spooked thee so?” The inquisitor flipped the board, drawing gasp of shock throughout the council members.
There it is.
Dark Magic – Rank 3.
The princes started talking to each other.
Prince John, sensing the commotion, spoke in an even louder voice.
“My fellow princes, you know what this means.
My son, is destined to be King of the Dark Faction.
However, with the awakening of this dark magic, it means a big tribulation is about to befall the Dark Faction and his power is needed.
I ask us all to stand united to combat this threat, whatever it may be.” The Flying Prince, Prince Orihalcum Wing, cut in.
“The dark powers are awakened in humans and humanoids again?
This is unacceptable.
Each race is supposed to be given the chance to rule!” Prince Ryggatigris, shocked at this revelation, muttered to himself.
No, it was supposed to be the werebeasts’ time to rule.
The divinations, the prophecy, the rotation of races.
Humans had their turn, and now its being taken by them again.
“What about the King’s Insignia?
Without that, even if he had awakened dark magic, it does not grant him the mandate to rule.” said the Drowned Prince, Prince Thalasso.
Prince John prepared for this.
He anticipated the backlash, and everyone knows that the bat motif is the King’s insignia.
Its just they would not know how it manifest.
Prince John swing the sword and slice up Prince Kenius’ shirt.
His back revealed two wings, two spiked ears, two fangs.
Prince Kenius just stood there and did not respond.
“He bears the mark!
He is supposed to be our king!” Prince John pointed the sword towards his son.
Prince Ryggatigris, feeling that the situation is getting out of hand and he is losing the advantage, questions Prince John.
“If thats the case, why do we detect corruption magic and magical seals all over his body.
What are you trying to suppress.” Prince John leaned forward, slumped and weary, told the council that his son could not control the powers of dark magic.
He awakened it at Rank 3, not Rank 1 like everyone usually does.
Although there were some rare instances of some waking it at level 2, no record shows anyone awakening a talent at Rank 3 straight.
His body was not able to bear its weight, hence, we had to use seals and his own magic to contain the powers.
It came at a price where his son’s personality got locked in.
However, he pointed out that history has shown that those who wielded dark magic often had a personality shift or change.
This was not a surprising thing.
The other princes began to contemplate and discuss.
Prince Ryggatigris had placed his hope in his son to get the powers but when Prince Jyggawulf did not, he thought it may not be this generation but the next.
Who knew that the one to awaken the Dark magics was Prince Kenius instead.
“I cannot accept this” The werebeast prince said.
“The dark magic should be passed on to the werebeasts next.
We were to rule the dark faction this time.
I do not care how you harm your son, the role of king can only belong to my race.” The shadow prince, silent all these time, spoke with an aura of menace.
“You do not care what he does to his son.
Weren’t you the one to bring this case to the council in the first place?
You suspected Prince John of harming his own son, yet now, when you found out he did it to protect his son from the Dark Magic, you changed your tune.” “I…I did not meant it that way.
There must be something amiss here.
Prince John is clearly scheming something and we are not seeing the full truth.” Prince Ryggatigris tried to find a way to save his claim.
If not, if it fell apart, he could lose standing in the council.
The Tech Prince, Prince Clock-Gear-Grind, spoke through his glorious black beard and machine powered mouth.
“Seems like we have our old friend, the runaway prince, here in da house.
Hahahahaha!” The room erupted in laughter, while Prince Ryggatigris grit his teeth in anger.
Stripes began forming and fur started to appear.
While partially transformed, the Werebeasts Prince growled:” Do you take me for a fool?
We have all the Dark Princes here.
Release the seals and your magic at once.
We will see the true heir of this Dark Faction and render assistance!” Prince John looked at the partially transformed tiger as the beasts locked him in its sight.
The claws were growing out of his paws.
Prince John wielded his sword, in anticipation for an attack.
True enough, Prince Ryggatigris lunged at Prince John, while Prince John used his sword to deflect the blow.
“Are you saying that you do not recognize my son as King?!
This is treason.
All the signs are there.
The powers, the insignia.
Are you aiming to rebel against the Dark Faction?!” Prince John remarked, stirring the other princes to his cause.
“Why you!?” Prince Ryggatigris jumped back and launched multiple slash energy waves.
They clash against the sword of imminent darkness like blades cutting through steel.
Although the sword is unharmed, the force managed to push back Prince John to the edge of the room.
Seeing a chance, Prince Ryggatigris activated his talent.
Speed Enhancement – Omni.
This causes his physical body, mental thinking, spiritual faith, healing, mana regeneration and others to speed up crazily.
The next moment, he unleashed a magic.
Werebeast Magic – Blood Moon Slash.
His rend tears the air asunder, and with so much pressure that blood start leaking out of his nails and combine it with the energy.
A crescent reddish slash blasts towards Prince John.
Prince John, even with the sword of imminent darkness, and his corruption magic forming a shield, will take heavy damage if he were to attempt to block it.
As the energy wave drew closer, the Shadow Prince jumped in between them and activate.
Shadow Magic – Tendril consumption.
Its robes opened up, revealing the shadowy stomach.
A great single lidless eye looks back at the blast.
6 Shadow tendrils, 3 on each side, extend out and catch the blast.
The eye then sucks in the blood red energy.
After a few minutes, the shadow consumed all the blast energy emitted by Prince Ryggatigris.
The robe the covers itself back, concealing the eye.
One-who-walks-in-shadow raised his hand, asking everyone to stop.
“We have a legitimate claim for someone to ascend the Obsidian throne.
Why are we not respecting the laws of our faction and fighting here instead.” It turns and faces Prince Kenius, before kneeling down and bowing.
“Prince Kenius, nay, King Kenius of the Dark Faction.
Let him return all to the darkness.” Prince John follow suit, as do some of the other princes.
Prince Ryggatigris, trying to avoid the declaration for the king had started this whole fiasco, and yet the Shadow Prince stopped it and made the Princes swear fealty to this boy.
However, he knew he cannot avoid this fate.
Prince Kenius looked at the 3 remaining princes not bowing.
The Werebeast, Undead and Corrupted Princes.
“Kneel before your King” and Prince Kenius raised his hand to use some dark magic with the aspect of gravity, though it has been mixed with his father corruption magic.
The three Princes felt the power and immediately knelt and proclaim the new king.
Behind the door, Sslisstith manipulation of the young prince was perfect.
Prince Kenius, as though in a state of trance, but all 9 of the princes of the dark faction kneels to him, pledging fealty.
He then wave his hand, signalling for them to rise.
All 9 Princes rose, as well as the inquisitor.
“We will need to inform the public about this.
A coronation ceremony needs to be held.
The dark faction will have its king once again.
I will sent out invites to the delegations of the various elemental kingdoms.
There is so much to be done.” The inquisitor bowed and left the hall.
One by one, the Princes left.
The vampire lord spit at the Werebeasts prince, as he had dragged his reputation down the mud along with him.
Count Vicken used his cane to push open the doors in anger and stormed off.
In the end, only Prince John and Prince Ryggatigris were left in the hall, along with Prince Kenius.
Prince John spoke:”If you had acted like this but in a different setting, who knows?
I may have granted you another scar to go along with the one in your chest.” Prince Ryggatigris had his transformation undone and clenched his fist in anger, enough to draw blood.
“This will not be the last of it.” He then turned and walked off.
Prince John shouted back to him:” Yeah, lets see what you got, Runaway Prince.
Oh?
and guess what, you are running away again hahahahahahaha!” The Werebeast Prince just walked off, entirely humiliated and headed back for the school.
Now, there left Prince John in the council chambers.
The three dark mages, including Sslisstith, arrived.
“Your Highness, shall we head back now?” asked Sslisstith as the mages cast their magics to make Prince Kenius leave.
“My plans are finally in motion.
Once my son is crowned King, I will be the true ruler of the Dark Faction.
My Hegemony will not be stopped.
Bring the Prince back to his room.
Remain vigilant and guarded, the various races might be up to something.” “Yes, your highness.” As the three mages left with Prince Kenius to head back home.
Prince John walked out of the council chambers, rested on the ledge and looked at the very center of the hall of obsidian on the ground floor.
There it was, A bunch of sharp obsidian rock that has been formed into a chair, while the back of it is linked to the Obsidian spire, which channels the souls into the very foundation of this nation.
He reached his hand out, covering the throne.
“Kingship is mine!”